A Second Storey Extension That Looks
(And Feels) Like It's Always Been Part of Your Home

For Mornington Peninsula Homeowners Who
Want to Avoid Expensive Mistakes (And
Regrets) With Their Second Storey Extension

GET OUR
FREE GUIDE

20+ YRS building on the Mornington Peninsula

Lifetime Structural Warranty

Supervisors managing 2 projects, not 25

5-star Google reviews

Because It's Designed to Integrate, Built With Millimetre Precision,
and Backed by a Lifetime Structural Warranty

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Adding a second storey is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make in your home. It's also the one renovation where problems can't hide behind fresh paint for long.

You won't notice the wall framed a few millimetres out of true on handover day. You won't feel that the floors were nailed instead of glued and screwed. But give it two years -- or ten. When cracks track above doorways and the floor starts to move, you know something expensive is wrong.

And then there's the comment you'll never forget -- a visitor, first time in your home, looking up at your second storey and saying, "Oh, you can tell it was added on, can't you."

At Alberse Homes, approximately 90% of our work is second-storey extensions -- and most of it arrives the same way: one family tells the next.

Clients who've been through the process put it better than we can:

"Very few surprises and variations -- which isn't the norm these days." -- Luke Cattanach, double-storey extension client
Here's what that looks like in practice:

A Second Storey That Looks Like It Was Always There

Zero-Tolerance Construction From the Slab Up

A Supervisor on Your Site, Not Across Twenty-Five Others

A Fixed-Price Contract With Honest Numbers

A Lifetime Structural Warranty

What Your Home (And Life) Looks Like
With a Second Storey Done Right

Imagine your teenagers heading upstairs to their own bedrooms at the end of the day -- their own space, their own privacy, their own corner of the house. You and your partner, finally, with a living area that feels like yours again. Room for the grandparents to stay over without anyone sleeping on the couch. Space for the adult kids to come back to -- because home is actually big enough to want to come back to.

The house you already love, on the street you never wanted to leave, with the backyard still intact -- just with the space your family actually needs built right into it. No moving. No starting over somewhere else.

As for the second storey -- a visitor walking through for the first time wouldn't know which part was original and which part was added. The roofline flows. The proportions feel right. The floors feel solid and quiet -- not in a way anyone could point to specifically, just in a way that feels the way a well-built home should feel. Like it was always meant to be exactly this way.

If that's the second storey you've been picturing -- you're in exactly the right place.

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The Questions Every Family Should Be Asking Before Signing With A Second Storey Builder -- And How We Answer Each One

Most families come to us with the same concerns – and they're the right ones to have. Because on a build this complex, the wrong answers are expensive.

Here are the questions and concerns we hear most often. And exactly what we do about each of them.

What Families Actually Say When the Build Is Done and They're Living in It

We've told you how we build. Here's what the people we've built for say about the experience -- and the result.

These aren't sanitised comments collected on handover day when everyone is relieved it's over. They're honest reflections from families who've now lived in their Alberse Homes second-storey extensions long enough to know whether the promises held up. Read them the way you'd read a recommendation from a friend -- for the specific details that tell you what it's actually like to hand your home over to this team.

Very Few Surprises -- Which Isn't the Norm These Days

"The process from quoting to carrying out the works was efficient and we are very happy with the build quality and attention to detail. Great communication throughout the build and very few surprises and variations -- which isn't the norm these days."

Luke Cattanach, double-storey extension client

They Just Wanted Your Coin -- Dave Actually Cared

"I found many builders out there just wanted your coin but had little regard for what is a difficult and stressful experience. Dave and his team were consummate professionals with peerless craft who genuinely care about their workmanship and their clients. The final result was simply exceptional quality from a team with mastery in their trade."

G., Mornington Peninsula

They Created Our Forever Home

"The workmanship, skill and attention to detail from Dave and his staff truly exceeded our expectations. They showed genuine commitment to making sure every part of the house was exactly how we imagined it. They brought our vision to life and created our forever home."

Kim Sbisa

No Corner Cutting -- Trustworthy and Caring

"The build was relatively timely without any corner cutting. We particularly appreciated the attention to finding excellent trades. We recommend the crew and of course David as the head very wholeheartedly."

Dr Zelman Lew

Ten Years On -- and Still the Only Builder I Trust

"I have been using David from Alberse for over 10 years now and I wouldn't trust anyone else to do any work at our house. Honest and professional with high attention to detail."

Andrew Peake

Delivered on Time and on Budget

"David and his team were professional, accommodating, honest and reliable. Our project was delivered on time and on budget. My highest recommendation."

Joshua Pelham

Rare to Find a Builder Who Takes Pride in Their Work

"Straight forward and upfront with all costs. Rare to find a builder who takes pride in their work these days. Couldn't be happier with the end results."

Jason Humphreys

Questions Families Ask Before Committing to a Second Storey Extension

How much does a second-storey extension cost on the Mornington Peninsula?

Most second-storey extensions at Alberse Homes range from $450,000 to $1.2 million, depending on scope, site conditions, and the level of finish. David will give you an honest preliminary estimate at the first consultation -- based on what your specific project actually involves, not a number designed to get you through the door. He'll also advise on a realistic contingency buffer for underground conditions, so there are no financial surprises once construction begins.

Do I need to have plans before I contact you?

No -- and for a second-storey build specifically, getting David involved before plans are finalised can save you significant time and money. He'll connect you with a designer whose approach suits your project and stay involved to ensure the design integrates properly with your existing home before significant fees are committed. If you already have plans, David will review them carefully -- checking buildability, structural logic, and budget alignment -- and give you his honest assessment before anything is locked in.

Should we build up or extend out?

For most families on the Mornington Peninsula, the block simply doesn't allow for meaningful ground-floor expansion without sacrificing the outdoor space the family actually uses. Going up preserves the backyard, and on the Peninsula specifically, it often unlocks views that a ground-floor extension never could. David will assess both options at the first consultation based on your specific site -- so you're making the decision with a clear picture of what each involves, not an assumption.

What makes a second-storey extension more complex than a standard renovation?

A second storey isn't just building on top of what's there. It requires structural reinforcement of the existing home to carry the additional load, careful sequencing so construction proceeds without damaging what's below, weatherproofing during the open-roof stage, and integration that makes the finished result look like it was always part of the house. Every one of these demands is something most builders encounter rarely. At Alberse Homes, approximately 90% of our work is second-storey extensions -- which means there isn't a challenge this type of build produces that we haven't already solved.

Will we need to move out -- and how long for?

For most second-storey builds, moving out for the duration of construction is unavoidable. David will give you an honest timeline at the first consultation based on your specific project -- not an optimistic estimate designed to make the decision easier. If anything shifts during construction, you'll hear about it early, with enough notice to extend your accommodation arrangements rather than scrambling at the last minute.

How do you protect our home during construction -- especially when the roof is open?

This is one of the most important questions to ask any builder before signing. Water ingress during a second-storey build is not a theoretical risk -- it's an inevitability if the site isn't managed properly. At Alberse Homes, all downstairs plaster and floor coverings are removed and replaced as a matter of course, because experience has taught us that no matter how well a site is protected, water finds a way in. The result is that our clients move back into a home that looks brand new downstairs -- not one that shows the evidence of months of construction above it.

How long does a second-storey extension typically take to build?

Most second-storey extensions at Alberse Homes take between four and seven months from breaking ground to handover, depending on the scope of the build, the complexity of the structural work, and the level of finish specified. David will give you a realistic timeline at the first consultation based on your specific project -- not an optimistic estimate designed to make the decision easier.

If anything shifts during construction -- weather, material delays, unforeseen site conditions -- you'll hear about it early, with enough notice to adjust your accommodation arrangements rather than scrambling at the last minute. The client portal means you always know where things stand, so the timeline never catches you off guard.

How do we stay informed while we're living elsewhere?

Every Alberse Homes client has access to a dedicated client portal -- updated regularly with photos, notes, and progress reports throughout the build. You can see exactly what's happening on your site at any time, whether you're in temporary accommodation nearby or further afield. David communicates early when anything shifts, so you're never left wondering and never caught off guard.

How do you ensure the second storey looks like it was always part of the house?

Integration starts before the plans are drawn. David gets involved early to ensure the designer chosen for your project understands how to build a second storey that integrates -- not just one who can produce something that looks good on a screen. Roofline, proportions, structural logic -- these need to be right before anything goes to planning. If they're not, the result is the outcome every family dreads: a second storey that looks exactly like what it is. For clients who already have plans, David will review them with exactly this question in mind before construction begins.

What is the Early Works Agreement and why does it matter?

The Early Works Agreement formalises the relationship at the beginning of the design and planning stage. It sets out clearly what David will do for you in the early stages, what it costs, and what you can expect. It's not a large commitment -- it's a structured starting point that ensures the early feasibility and design work is properly resourced, and that both parties are clear on what happens next before any significant money is spent. For a build as complex as a second storey, having that structure in place early is how you avoid the expensive ambiguity that causes problems later.

Ready to Talk to a Builder Who's Done This Dozens of Times?

One conversation. No obligation. Just David, your project, and an honest discussion about what your second storey involves -- and whether Alberse Homes is the right builder to deliver it.

Here's what to expect...

Book Your Free Consultation

A Second Storey Extension That Looks(And Feels) Like It's Always Been Part of Your Home

For Mornington Peninsula Homeowners WhoWant to Avoid Expensive Mistakes (AndRegrets) With Their Second Storey Extension

GET OURFREE GUIDE